Recipe - Cream Of Clam And Leek Soup

36 Littleneck clams; smaller th
2 tablespoon Butter
3 cup Leeks, cut crosswise into fi
Three fourths cup Finely chopped onion
1 Cl Garlic; finely minced
2 cup Dry white wine
Freshly ground pepper; to ta
Salt; to taste
2 cup Heavy cream
1 cup Milk
1 small Dried hot pepper; optional
2 tablespoon Ricard or pernod liqueur

Recipe by: Craig Claiborne The New New York Times Cook Book 1. Rinse the
clams in several changes of cold water. Drain well. Heat the butter in a
heavy casserole or kettle and add the leeks. Cook for about 2 minutes,
stiring often. Add the onion and garlic. Cook briefly, stirring. Add the
wine, a little salt (the clams will give up their liquid, which is salty)
and pepper. Cover and bring to the boil. Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

2. Add the clams, 2 cups of cream, 1 cup of milk and hot pepper and cover
closely. Let cook for about 10 minutes or until the clams open. Add the
Ricard and stir. Serve piping hot with a soup spoon and oyster fork.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini